Coalition on Homelessness
468 Turk St., 94102 415-346-3740 (main office) 415-775-5639 (FAX) http://www.cohsf.org The Coalition on Homelessness was formed in 1987 to foster the active participation of homeless and low-income San Francisco residents and front-line staff in the struggle for economic and social justice. Through an integrated approach that combines outreach, peer support, leadership development, public education, advocacy, and community organizing, the COH works to defend homeless and low-income people from attacks on their rights and their persons, while advocating for permanent solutions to homelessness that take into account not only poverty's devastating effects, but also its root causes. The COH advocates for effective and humane services, employment, and housing for homeless and low-income people. COH work groups meet regularly to develop programs and policies in the areas of civil rights, welfare and economic development. COH projects include the Human Rights Workgroup and the Housing Justice Workgroup. The COH does outreach to homeless people and has a speaker's bureau that makes presentations to groups concerned about homelessness. The COH produces the Street Sheet, a newsletter addressing many issues facing homeless people. 'Coalition Projects' The workgroups foster collaboration among homeless people, concerned community members, and providers of social, healthcare, housing, employment, and legal services, to address the needs identified in the outreach systematically and effectively. Coalition workgroups are educational as well as social communities: members act as teacher, student, or both by turn, sharing individual strengths to increase their combined effectiveness. Homeless and low-income people seeking to improve their office skills can train while working at the Coalition office, and additional educational and leadership development opportunities are available through our affiliated organizations. The Coalition encompasses the following three projects: 'Human Rights and Budget Justice Coalition' While selective enforcement and the propagation of laws targeting homeless people continues, San Francisco’s emergency services for homeless people have been dramatically reduced. The loss of more than half of the city’s emergency drop-in centers, and over 1/3 of our shelter beds has led to a sharp increase in psychiatric crises, emergency room visits, declining health, and untreated addictive disorders. People seeking shelter typically spend more than 8 hours a day in line, if they’re lucky, they get a bed for just one night. Meanwhile, beds sit empty due to systemic inefficiencies, graft and politics. The Coalition seeks to protect the civil and human rights of homeless San Franciscans living on the street and in public shelters, through documenting abuse, organizing for change, and through our budget advocacy, preserving programs and services that help homeless people move out of poverty. Every year San Francisco faces millions of dollars in deficit. The Coalition on Homelessness helped found the Budget Justice Coalition, an alliance of community based organizations and service providers, dedicated to staving off budget cuts to our vital poverty abatement programs. Meeting Time: Wednesdays at 12:30 (open to public) 'Housing Justice' Walking in San Francisco’s low income neighborhoods, the difficulties and frustrations on the faces our people waiting to access permanent, affordable housing become clear. San Francisco has 37,000 households on the combined waitlist for housing. Well over 6,000 people experience homelessness each night, 2,200 homeless children attend San Francisco’s public schools. The waitlist for family shelters has tripled since the recession began. This year we are facing this crisis head on with documentation, analysis, and action; mobilizing homeless families and individuals to forge change. We engage in both community organizing and advocacy through peer support for homeless people. Meeting Times: Tuesdays at 12 noon (open to public) 'STREET SHEET' The STREET SHEET is the oldest continuously published street news paper in the United States. Organizationally, it is the public education and outreach tool of the Coalition on Homelessness. Every month, the STREET SHEET reaches 32,000 readers through 230 homeless or low-income vendors. Their vendors are charged nothing for the papers they receive, and keep all money they earn through STREET SHEET distribution. If you’re interested in becoming involved in the STREET SHEET‘s '''work, please come by the Coalition on Homelessness, 468 Turk Street (Between Larkin and Hyde), San Francisco, CA or call 415-346-3740 ext. 309 http://streetsheetsf.wordpress.com/ '''Street Sheet distribution: Monday-Friday, 9 am-12 noon New Vendor Orientation: Friday’s @ 10 am Category:Needs Clean Up Category:Legal Agencies / Advocacy Category:Information Community Action Agencies Category:Neighborhood-Tenderloin